The Belated Love Story of Simon Lewis and Isabelle Lightwood
by SapphireGossamer
Summary: This story takes place after City of Glass (Cassandra Clare) with minor references to the last books. Its 15 years after The Mortal War. Simon and Izzy weren't on good terms when she left for Chicago. Now shes back, will they be able to find what the once had? TID spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

It'd been fifteen years since the Mortal War. Isabelle had been the only one to leave New York. After Jace and Clary's wedding on the second commemoration of the war, Izzy packed up her tallest heels and headed for the Institute in Chicago. The demon population had been higher than in other parts of the country because of the lakes and an interdementional portal underneath them. Chicago had needed her. After all she was the best there was, excluding Jace and his angel blood. That had been thirteen years ago though. In between then and now she had found herself a nice Midwestern Shadowhunter, settled down had a kid, just about everything she hadn't expected to do. The war and its events had changed her.

Jace, Clary, Alec and Magnus had visited her every year on her birthday. Clary and Jace brought their blond haired blue eyed boy his red haired and golden eyed twin sister and a bright green eyed baby girl that rarely left her daddy's arms.

Clary had mentioned her surprise at Isabelle's lifestyle choice, but Izzy had merely shrugged it off and blamed it on herself finally growing up.

Clary and Jace both held powerful positions in the Clave along with Luke and Jocelyn, whose wedding had been quaint and beautiful. When Jace had proposed to Clary he had decided he wanted her to take the Herondale name, in sake of a clean slate, and so she could get rid of that dreadful last name of Morgenstern. They now parted their time between the New York Institute and Idris. Their children were more powerful than they were. Their ten year old boy Roshan had climbed out of a window in the Institute and landed in a precarious perch on the branch of a tree to bring Church inside. Jace was beside himself with pride and Clary had nearly thrown Jace out the window after him.

Roshan and Isabelle's boy Gabriel were the same age, and couldn't get along for their lives which Izzy, Jace and Clary had all threatened them with. So as usual Gabe's green eyes filled with contempt as the Herondales and Bane-Lightwoods, with their newly adopted little girl, walked into the Institute for her thirty-first birthday.

"If you boys break one window, make one dent on the floor or yell one obscenity I will burn all of your manga and replace them with books written in Romanian." Isabelle whispered menacingly to her son.

"Don't worry Gabe. I'm rather skilled in the language of the Romanians. I can teach you." Jace drawled with a smirk.

"You can't even let me discipline my son without a witty comment can you?" Isabelle said, not without affection.

"Of course not." Jace responded with a reminiscent rub to her head.

Isabelle exchanged greetings with all of them and led them to the dining hall where the chef had prepared tomato soup, fruit salad, beef, and baked bread.

"Ah bovine. The staple of any ol' Midwestern meal." Jace remarked picking all the mangos out of the salad and onto his plate.

"I see you still haven't mastered the art of cooking yet my dear Mrs. Youngblood." Magnus casually noticed.

"Who is to say I didn't spend all day slaving over a hot stove to prepare this meal for you all?" Isabelle answered with mock hurt.

"Iz I watched you burn water. We had to throw away the pot. You fed Church spoiled milk and to this day he won't drink milk. Sufficient to say, I think we all know that sweet Ms. Annie prepared this meal for us." Alec explained swiftly. A boisterous round of laughter erupted at the table.

As they did every year, stories went around about the children, old friends, new demons and how much they all missed her.

It came to the point in the night where the children would go off to play and they rest of them would drink and talk until the wee hours of the night.

Magnus and Alec described their experience of adopting Shaylin from the warlock orphanage in Montréal run by a friend of Magnus'. Tessa May or something.

After their heartwarming story Jace asked the question that had been on everyone's mind all evening. The question she knew was coming, which only Jace would have the courage to ask.

"So, where is your stick in the mud husband? Out playing a riveting round of golf?"

Isabelle heard the thud as Clary stepped on Jace's foot with admonishment.

She felt the color drain from her face. They knew of the portal underneath the lakes, but not the recent news about it.

"We found a way to close the interdementional portal underneath the lakes. Don't get any ideas though, even if we knew where every demon was entering Earth, and you know there are thousands, the only way to close it is for the Greater Demon that opened it to close it. Willingly.

"It so happened that there was a lot the Silent Brothers knew about the Greater Demon that opened this portal. He had a lover he would do anything for. Her spirit was trapped in a Pyxis in the Shanghai Institute. We figured we could get him to comply if we threatened to destroy her spirit with Clary's Destruction rune.

"Ryson was the one holding the Pyxis. We had fought about it all night, maybe if he had gotten more sleep before we summoned the demon he would still be here, but before we even could talk to the demon he struck Ryson down where he stood, nothing but dust was left. Turns out our warlock double crossed us and didn't make the pentagram secure. The fire that consumed two blocks next to the lake? Yup, that was us. It was bloody. Lost a lot of good fighters. We were in Idris up until last week for funerals.

Clary was the first to say something. "This must all be so fresh for you. How has Gabe been handling it?"

"Honestly he has helped me through it. He keeps me going. Everything is for him. He reminds me of Max so much it hurts sometimes. With his messy brown hair, from the back sometimes I really think it is him." Isabelle confessed with glistening eyes.

Alec stood up, knocking his chair over and stalked over to Isabelle's chair where he took her into his arms and held her. The silence in the room was not awkward, but strong, strong in their love for her. Tears slid down her cheeks as she gave in to how much she missed her friends. Her family.

Yes, everyone at the Chicago Institute had been very hospitable to her over the years but she could never really make any true connections with any of them.

After a bout of condolences the boys went to the living room to watch the children play. Isabelle saw a flickering blue glow come from the room and assumed it was Magnus and Shaylin.

Clary remained still, looking at her hands on the table. Isabelle began to ask the same question she did every year when she and Clary were alone.

"How is-"

"Simon? Oh he looks the exact same as the last time you saw him. Works at the music production office, lives in Manhattan, still single and still asks about you every damn year just like you ask about him."

"He asks about me?" Isabelle said truly dumbfounded.

"Yes, and it's quite annoying how you two go on about each other to me and won't even pick up the phone to call one another. What the hell even happened between you two? You just picked up and left after my wedding. You've completely secluded yourself allowing us once a year visits. Isabelle, I can make a portal anytime I want! But you only allow us these annual visits and we miss you." Clary's eyes softened. "Come home. You have nothing to hold you here anymore. Gabe can be trained just as well in New York as he can here. Maybe even better, surrounded by family and people who love him."

"I love him." Isabelle stated weakly.

"Of course you do Izzy, and you're doing a beautiful job with him. But this isn't your home Izzy. Come back with us. At least think about it?" Clary had tears in her eyes as well.

"Okay." Isabelle let the tears roll down her face. For a woman who hadn't cried in years she'd been doing a lot of crying tonight.

Clary got up to go join her husband and turned around and commented, "Your lack of stubbornness almost scares me Iz."

Isabelle cleaned herself up in the bathroom and enjoyed the rest of the evening watching the children fall asleep together.

Isabelle made a comment about Jace always being a ladies' man as he carried his two daughters in either arm. Isabelle was not as sad to see them go as she usually was. She kissed Gabe's eyelids and looked around his room wondering what he would want to take with him to New York.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Calling Clary to make a portal would've been the easier option, but Isabelle needed the plane ride to think. Plus neither she nor her son had ever flown before. So with a simple glamour to obscure her Marks they left the Chicago Institute after a brief round of goodbyes to the other Shadowhunters. Gabriel had not been averse to moving to New York. He was always a loner in Chicago, it broke Izzy's heart. He had been silent on the taxi ride to the airport and not until they were sitting on the plane did he say anything.

"As long as my room is not near Roshan's I will be okay."

Isabelle let out a sigh. Maybe if she and Jace's kids had grown up together they would get along.

When their plane began to circle for a landing at LaGuardia Izzy's fingers began to twitch and her foot set a rapid pace. She had thought about it all night and the entire flight. Who was she going to call when she got there?

As Isabelle glimpsed the large rectangle or green in the middle of Manhattan she knew her answer.

While the aircraft taxied she called Simon.

"_Izzy_?" Simon said with pure astonishment.

"Hi." Hi. Hi? After thirteen years all she could say was hi? Chicago really had taken her spunk away. Or maybe it was something else and it was just easy to blame it on Chicago.

"Umm… how are you?" Isabelle was glad to note his awkwardness hadn't faded.

"Never mind that, we can play catch up later. We're at LaGuardia. Come and get us?"

"We? Who is we?"

"My son Gabriel and I." Isabelle answered with conviction.

"Alright, I can be there in ten."

"Um unless Magnus has transported all traffic in The City to Uzbekistan, then it will take you much longer to get here."

"Vampire. Super-speed and all. It's awfully convenient sometimes."

"Oh yeah, sorry." Isabelle mentally chided herself, _you are thirty-one years old Isabelle, stop acting like a child._

"I'll see you then, I'll be outside the baggage claim." And he hung up.

A rush of memories flooded her mind. Isabelle had been struggling to deal with the death of her brother. How it was her fault for not having listened to him, how she should have been there to protect him. She still fought with it so many years later. What kind of Shadowhunter would he be today? Simon had been her rock through the couple years after. He had helped her and comforted her. He had saved her from herself. After Simon found her on the bathroom floor crying and holding a wooden soldier so tight it had splintered into her hand, he held her all night long on that bathroom floor. He had cleaned up the blood and taken the toy with him. The next night she found it sitting on her pillow in pristine condition, the same toy soldier her son held in his hand now.

"Who was that mom?" Gabe asked for the third time.

"Just-oh, um- an old friend that will be picking us up from the airport." Isabelle spluttered.

Gabe was slightly unnerved by his mother's flustered attitude. She had always been so strong, she had not even cried when his father has been killed.

Gabe clung to his mother's hand as the exited the plane and made their way to the baggage claim. He nearly ran into her when she abruptly stopped.

Simon had not aged a day. Of course she knew he wouldn't have, but it was strange to see him completely unchanged, hell she had even seen that t-shirt before. His hair was still that dark curly brown that matched the shade of his eyes that visibly darkened when they found Isabelle's.

Isabelle looked older. She had grown into her height. Her chest was notably larger, Simon could tell even through her black trench coat. Simon's eyes could see the lattice of scars across her hands, along with a faded strength rune on the inside of her left knee that became visible when a gust of wind blew in from the revolving doors.

Simon next noticed the little boy standing behind her legs. He looked like Max, but Simon knew better. He thought of how hard it must be to look at him every day when the resemblance to her dead brother was so accurate.

When Isabelle moved forward again it was at a fast pace and with purpose. When she reached Simon she whispered quickly so that Gabe wouldn't hear her, he was too busy looking at the advertisements for ComicCon anyway.

"Walk us to the institute, and then meet me at Taki's at nine."

"Alright." Simon answered still in a daze.

As Isabelle turned to grab her and her son's bags he caught the vanilla sent of her perfume. At least something had stayed the same.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Simon and Gabe had taken to each other instantly, talking of the latest manga and Star Wars anniversary parade next Wednesday. _My little nerds._ She thought, surprising herself that Simon had made his way back into her head in their brief encounter.

"So I take it you're planning to stay a while." Simon commented as Isabelle purchased a Metro Card for the month.

"I am." She answered wistfully.

The subway ride was awkward. The only thing that made it less awkward was Gabe's fascination with the underground tracks.

"Gabe, its not as if you haven't seen a subway before, Chicago had them." Isabelle said with amusement.

"But Mom these are underground. Why aren't the ones in Chicago underground?" he persisted.

"They would flood because of the lakes." Simon stated before Izzy could comment.

"That'd be awesome!" Gabe's enthusiasm remained.

Izzy rolled her eyes and ruffled Gabe's hair. Simon halted before the doors of the Institute setting the suitcase holding her shoes on the steps.

As Simon leaned in for a hug he whispered, "See you tonight."

An unexpected chill went down her spine. Their hug lasted longer than the allotted time for a socially acceptable hug. Their bodies meshed together perfectly, despite the changes in her body. The years had scared her skin and vigorous training had built up even more toned, lean muscle all over her body. Ever since moving to Chicago she had felt like she didn't know herself, except when she was training. She had always pushed herself in her training. It was the one place she felt like she was herself.

Hugging Simon, she knew who she was. It was different than when she trained. Training brought her a deep burn that had always been inside her. It was the only constant in her life. Simon's hug was like a gentle autumn wind that reminded you why you put up with the blistering heat of summer and bitterness of winter. Gales promised of cold just around the corner, but the reminisced of the summer past. Memories always hung in the air. Sure Chicago was "The Windy City" but the smells carried on that wind had always been of cow manure. Not that New York smelled great. A permanent stench of cat pee seemed to hang around, but she had missed it. She had missed everything.

Before finally letting go of him Isabelle gathered all of her guts and pressed herself even closer.

"I can't wait." She breathed across his neck, gave his rump a soft pat, hidden from her son's eyes, and drew her son into the institute.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Simon did not begin to fully think straight until he was back at his apartment and had popped the top off a bottle of blood and microwaved it.

The last couple hours had been a blur, all of it so unexpected, especially Izzy's outward show of affection. She had been missing from his life for so long, but still she fit into it like a key to an old lock.

He had missed her. He had spent countless days and nights thinking about her. Every woman, fairy, warlock, werewolf and vampire he'd been with since Izzy hadn't been up to par and he hadn't stayed with any of them more than a few months, excluding the warlock who had been putting a love spell on him that he had been with for four years. Magnus had to basically do a magical exorcism on him.

As always when he thought of Izzy, he thought of how they had parted. Izzy came into his and Jordan's apartment with black tears marking her face.

"I'm leaving for Chicago." She had said when Simon questioned her bags in his doorway. Simon was dumbfounded. He had expected her to say she was moving in with him, in that way of hers where she tells someone what she is going to do and doesn't ask for it, but everyone is usually fine with it because it's Isabelle.

"Wait what?" Simon had barely gotten out. Jordan had taken to hiding in his room; the two boys were good about giving one another their personal space.

"Goodbye Simon." And with that she ran for the door, grabbed her bags and shut the elevator doors. Using his vampire given speed he beat the elevator down to the empty lobby. When he exited the staircase he vaguely thought of what he could do to stop her. He acted on instinct when the elevator doors opened. He sped at her and pinned her against the wall of the elevator pressing his mouth hotly against hers. She responded with little reluctance and gave into his advance with a quiet moan. Her hands ran along the hem of his shirt tugging at it impatiently. He in turn was rubbing circles along the strip of skin between her top and pants. She kicked her right leg up and wrapped it around Simon's hips drawing him closer. A cord inside him seemed to snap. He needed her, now, everything of and about her. Lifting her up and spinning her around so that her back pressed against the buttons lighting each floor up. That didn't matter though. Everyone else in the apartment complex would either be asleep or still out clubbing. They didn't stop clutching at each other when the doors opened at every floor. Neither of them could stand to be separated more than a second. Intense desire mixed with Simon's hunger. When the elevator opened to the basement he kicked out her bags and carried her out of the elevator.

Sure Simon and Izzy had done this sort of thing before, but they hadn't done everything. Yes it had been two years, but a lot of their relationship had been Simon comforting her, not that he had minded. Everything Izzy and him had was not just physical.

The basement was used for storage and it was unlikely anyone would come down, but just to be sure he took Izzy and himself around a corner of boxes before setting her down on a crate labeled for welding equipment.

Simon's shirt was finally off followed quickly by Izzy's. Things escalated from there until they both lay on the floor with only a threadbare blanket to cover themselves with. Izzy had curled up against his torso. As he brushed his fingers through her hair he whispered to her not to go.

Simon could still remember waking up the next morning to find himself alone. The elevator ride back up to his apartment had been miserable. Isabelle hadn't left anything. Not a note or forwarding address one. She didn't want to hear from him he figured, but now all these years later he thought maybe he should've called, just once to see if she would've answered.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Jace, her brother, and Magnus had all been shocked to see her, but Clary had just smiled knowingly at her. Isabelle planned on staying in the Institute for a bit before she sought out an apartment. The rest of her and her sons belongings were being shipped via U-Haul and would arrive within the week.

After putting her belongings away in her old room Izzy went to help her son unpack. His organization skills were lacking. She was surprised to hear chatter coming from the room he had picked at the end of the hallway. Curiosity overcoming her, she stopped at the door to listen. It made her smile to hear Gabe and Janie talking about the upcoming Star Wars parade. When she stepped through the door Janie's golden eyes brightened as she ran to hug Izzy.

"Aunt Izzy are you guys really staying?" the little girl asked earnestly.

"Well I would sure like to stick around here." Izzy answered with a smile.

Janie had always been fond of Izzy. On their annual visits Izzy had always been unable to keep her hand from messing with Janie's hair. The girl reminded Isabelle of fire. Her wavy red hair with sporadic golden undertones and highlights fell to her waist and her gold eyes always burned brightly whenever she spoke. Where Gabe was sometimes spacey and clumsy Janie was all grace and elegance. Izzy was happy the two got along.

"Do you think Uncle Simon would take us to the parade?" the little girl wondered with glittering eyes.

Isabelle's heart swelled.

"I'm sure he is probably going anyways so he would probably love some company. "

"Did you hear that Gabe?!" Janie's voice rose with anticipation.

Isabelle left the two to their excitement after reminding Gabe to be in bed by 9:30. Walking down the hall way she looked at her watch. 8:30. She should probably head out soon. Looking down at herself she ran for her room throwing off her clothes, shaving, putting on makeup, giving her hair a quick curl and settling on a black chiffon high-low dress with black heels all in under fifteen minutes. Shadowhunters look better in black anyways right?

Clary and Jace were putting their kids to bed and Magnus and Alec had gone back to their apartment so Isabelle was able to walk out of the institute without any interruptions.

Taki's was only a few blocks away from the Institute so Isabelle decided to walk. She could hear the grumblings of Downworlders a block away. Izzy was lost in thought about the power of glamour when she heard a horrible scream. It was a man's scream, deep and guttural. Had it not been for the agony laced within the scream she would've kept going. _People get mugged all the time, this is New York._ She thought. But the slimy gurgle of what was obviously demonic in nature made her turn around to follow the sound.

Her tension eased as her whip slid into her hand from around her wrist. The electrum was giving off a faint blue glow. Just enough to give the alley shadows. She could make out two figures in the right corner of the closed off alleyway. The mix of the odor coming from the dumpster and the stench of demon made Isabelle's stomach knot.

The figure on the left looked like a man despite the liquid-like substance falling off his body in globs. With surprise on her side Izzy flicked her wrist out and pulled once the end had wrapped around its neck. A wet smack filled the alley as the demons head hit the ground. Izzy hurried to the side of the crumpled man on the ground. Blood spattered the old brick walls.

Isabelle was shocked to find that the man was a Shadowhunter. She had found the demon easy to kill, almost too easy. She looked around and maintained her guard as she took a closer look at the Shadowhunter. His dark black hair was covered in slime. He had a pulse and seemed to just be asleep. Isabelle stood up not wanting to get demon ichor on her dress. She toed the limp Shadowhunter in an attempt to wake him up. Reaching up her skirt she pulled her stele and intended to draw an izrate on him but the moment the stele touched him his eyes flew open and met hers. She was startled by their gold color.

The man flipped onto his feet and disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Shadowhunter, state your name!" Isabelle screamed for the fifth time. She tried to keep her irritation in check, but who ever this idiot guy was he was really pissing her off.

"Listen if you don't show yourself, I can't help you. I'm not going to wait around forever I have a date that is thirteen years late and I don't plan on missing it. The least you could do is say something so I know I'm not just taking to a brick wall." Isabelle stated frankly.

"You're dress is scandalously short. Are you a prostitute? I did not know that Shadowhunters did such things." Said a voice in front of her with no body.

"I do not have time for this bullshit." Isabelle spat and turned on her heel to stalk out of the alley. She ran into a solid mass of muscle though. Her eyebrows crinkled when she saw what the man was wearing, some 1900's get up with a bowtie.

"Is it retro night at Pandemonium or what?" Izzy asked truly baffled by her situation.

"The club for immature and vile mundanes who believe they know what real magic is? No I am not part of that dreadful world, especially given my family history with the organization. I thought the Clave shut that down ages ago." The man babbled on.

_What the hell?_ Izzy thought. He must be wasted.

"Okay, where do you live? I'll get you on a train there but that's it."

"What? Why would I take a train back to the Institute? Ma'am have you had one too many glasses of wine this evening? A Shadowhunter you may be but a dim one at best."

"Excuse me?" Izzy's temper was rising.

"You're the one suggesting I take a train just to get home. London is big but not large enough to call need for a steam engine to get a few blocks."

"London? You're in New York. I think I should be asking you if you've had '_one too many'_ tonight."

"_New York?" _ The man did not seem to like hearing this. He turned a bolted for the end of the alley. As Izzy chased after him she tried to guess his age, he couldn't be more than five or so years older than herself. He abruptly stopped, staring and flipping his head left to right.

"Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. "He repeated. "This can't be happening I swear it was only a few hours." The deep distress in the man's voice made her heart ache. _Okay, let's take another crack at this. _Isabelle readied herself.

"Mister? Please tell me your name."

His gold eyes were wild and raw with emotion. They were brimmed with tears. Something about this weeping man gave Isabelle a strong sense of recognition. Who was this man? Where was he from? Or better yet when was he from? That was when it clicked for her, the demon had been a Jinsei Ukete demon. Life taking demon. They would swallow you whole. You would not age, die, or have any sense of time. "_Oh shit."_ She inwardly groaned.

She looked up to the man's eyes as he said something that did not entirely shock her.

"Herondale. James Herondale."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Simon's foot was tapping out a fast rhythm in the bustling little restaurant. Izzy was a half an hour late. _She could just be fashionably late._ He thought to himself. She always liked to make an entrance.

Boy did she make an entrance, with a stumbling man draped around her. All the Downworlders turned to see with the commotion was about. With a closer look he could tell he had been crying. _What the hell?_ Simon made his was over to the door to help them to a table. Isabelle answered Simon's quizzical look by whipping out her phone and dialing Jace.

Before Jace could even give a greeting, Isabelle jumped on him.

"You damn Herondales and your awfully impeccable timing and my soft heartedness, damn it all to hell."

"Whoa Iz. Calm down. What's going on?" Jace had a certain tone of amusement mixed with a sleepy and irritated undercurrent.

"Just come to Taki's and pick up your ancestor. I'll explain when you get here." And with that she hung up.

By this point the three were all sitting in a booth in the far corner of the establishment.

"His name is James Herondale. I found him in an alleyway a few blocks from here. I'm pretty sure he came from like a century ago. He has been mumbling of his wife and kids. I'm assuming he's trying to get a grip on the fact they're dead and he has no idea what happened to them, much less the world in the past hundred years." Izzy mentioned hurriedly to Simon.

Interrupting their little debriefing, Clary and Jace popped into the diner. With that James looked up, wildly confused, but he seemed to think better of asking a question. A sense of recognition seemed to dawn on James' face.

"He looks like my son. Like my grandfather." He breathed.

Clary made the connection of the two Herondale's eyes instantly. Isabelle gave Jace and Clary the same information she had given Simon.

Clary's face was sympathetic as she approached the gentlemanly dressed man.

"Is there anything we can do? Anyone we can call?"

"Who? Everyone I know is dead by now right?" A surge of realization came over him.

"My mother. Tessa. Tessa Herondale. Or she will probably go by Tessa Gray now considering how long my father's been dead."

"Why would your mother still be alive?" Jace inquired.

"She's a warlock. I can explain later. Do you all know of her? Or know anyone who does?

"Sounds familiar. We can ask Magnus." Isabelle answered.

At the same time James asked "Magnus Bane?" and Jace remarked, "She runs the warlock orphanage in Montreal."

James' eyes lit up.

"Well I guess I know what's happening next." Jace said spinning on his heel towards the door while Clary helped the still visibly weak man to his feet. When Izzy made a motion to follow Clary turned and with shocking fierceness told Isabelle to stay with Simon, how it was about damn time they sorted things out.

Isabelle agreed and went to sit with Simon.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

It had been about six months since Simon had cheated on her with Maia that Isabelle got the notion to leave. She had lost so much with Max and her parents divorcing after her father got the position as Inquisitor she hadn't thought she could take losing Simon.

It had been an impulsive teenage decision, one she regretted immensely now. She had lost too many years with Simon and had not even eaten all of her meal before asking about his apartment.

"Would you like to see it?" He asked tenaciously.

Happy he had gotten the hint she agreed. Slightly surprised at the generous tip he left on top of the orange table, Isabelle followed him out the door.

The subway system was much the same as it had been she still resided in The City. Happy to be over the awkwardness the two chattered on about their lives. Simon showed no jealousy towards Gabe, which she had been a bit worried about. He listened with interest to the stories she shared with him. He caught her up on the latest happenings in mundane music, how his band had actually been popular for a year or two, before he had to quit so the public wouldn't notice his agelessness. After that they had broken apart.

If she was cliché she would've said she was lost in Simons eyes which was why she didn't notice the entirely empty train car. In reality she was preoccupied with what would happen or not happen with they got back to Simons apartment.

Simon's head snapped up sharply. Tensing up, he sprang out of his seat in a protective crouch in front of Isabelle. Simon was in midair when Izzy began to react. Spinning around to get a scope of the car, she flicked her whip in a warning. Simon let out a low growl.

_Well that was hot. _Izzy thought in the back of her head. Simon had grown into his vampire nature.

The train came to an abrupt stop a second before the lights blinked out. Isabelle's whip brightened the space.

Chicago had an abnormally low vampire population, another reason she had chose the destination, so it had been many years since she had fought a vampire, much less watched two of them fight.

A dark figure flew at Simon which he easily dodged and flung into the opposing wall. Faster than she could see, he sped to the other vampire and grabbed it by the throat in a vice like grip. This was the first time Izzy had a chance to really look at his opponent. It was a woman. Her face was hidden by a thick curtain of long dark curls. When she spoke Simon looked like he was going to go into cardiac arrest if possible.

"Show me your face." Simon's voice wavered. Isabelle watched in stunned silence as she flipped her head to reveal an ageless face of a mid-twenty to early thirty year old woman. She looked terrified. Her big brown eyes were wild with fear as she begged Simon to let her down.

"No." Simon hissed. "Who did this to you?" Simon's voice shook the car. Izzy had never seen him this angry.

The woman's eyes watered when all at once her knees collapsed and Simon eased her into his lap on the floor.

A spike of jealousy lit through Isabelle, but was quickly extinguished when Simon whispered,

"It's going to be okay Rebecca. I'm here. Everything's okay now. You found me. "


End file.
